The Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Scholarship Board, Professor Rashida Liman, has disclosed that the Board recorded significant achievements in 2025, resolving long-standing challenges that affected hundreds of Zamfara students studying both within and outside Nigeria.
Professor Liman made this known while speaking with a Radio Nigeria correspondent in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
She attributed the successes to the commitment of the state government under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal to reform the scholarship system and safeguard the educational future of Zamfara indigenes.
According to her, the Board inherited numerous challenges from previous administrations, particularly unpaid tuition fees and the abandonment of students studying abroad. However, she said decisive interventions in 2025 helped to resolve most of the inherited issues.
Recovery of Certificates Withheld for Over a Decade
One of the landmark achievements recorded in 2025, according to Professor Liman, was the resolution of the long-standing case involving Zamfara students sponsored to Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, by previous administrations.
She explained that due to unpaid tuition fees, the university withheld the certificates of over 80 students who graduated nine to ten years ago, preventing them from securing employment or advancing their careers.
To resolve the crisis, the Scholarship Board had engaged the university management in negotiations, resulting in an agreement that allowed the Zamfara State Government to settle the outstanding fees in three instalments.
“In total, the Zamfara State Government paid ₦190 million to recover the certificates. Alhamdulillah, all payments have been completed and the certificates have been collected,” she said.
Professor Liman added that a certificate presentation ceremony was held about three weeks ago, during which Governor Dauda Lawal personally presented the certificates to the affected graduates, describing the intervention as a huge relief to both parents and beneficiaries.
Cyprus Students Crisis Resolved
The Executive Secretary also addressed the long-standing crisis involving Zamfara students studying in Cyprus, who were abandoned due to alleged unpaid tuition fees by a former administration.
She said the foreign university demanded ₦1.3 billion as outstanding fees for about 82 students, without providing a transparent breakdown of the charges.
Professor Liman disclosed that a high-level committee comprising the Commissioners for Education and Finance, the Economic Adviser, and other senior officials travelled to Cyprus to negotiate, but no agreement was reached.
Following the stalemate, she said the State Executive Council approved the return of the students to Nigeria, with a commitment to place them in alternative universities.
“We kept to our promise. The students were re-admitted into other universities so they could continue their studies,” she said.
She noted that although the Board’s policy does not ordinarily cover private universities, the government made an exception due to the hardship faced by the students. As a result, some were admitted into Capital City University, Kano, while others were placed at Nile University.
Professor Liman added that certificates of students who had already completed their programmes would also be settled and retrieved, noting that some had personally paid their tuition fees.
Nearly 300 Students Benefited in 2025
According to Professor Liman, about 300 students benefited from various interventions in 2025, including full and partial scholarships, settlement of tuition debts, fresh admissions, and emergency support.
She said students were placed on full scholarships at institutions such as Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, and Al-Amin University, Minna, while others gained fresh admissions into specialised institutions, including a College of Nursing.
Biometric Verification and Bursary Rollout
The Executive Secretary announced plans to commence biometric verification of Zamfara students across tertiary institutions as part of efforts to build a reliable and comprehensive student database.
She explained that the exercise would involve capturing students’ photographs and fingerprints to ensure transparency, accountability, and seamless disbursement of bursaries and scholarships.
“Once the data is in place, it becomes easier to update records yearly as students graduate and new ones are admitted,” she noted.
Institutional Visits Strengthen Relationships
Professor Liman also revealed that the Board conducted visits to tertiary institutions across Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, and other states to strengthen relationships with school authorities and students.
She said the visits were aimed at introducing the leadership of the Scholarship Board to vice-chancellors, provosts, and students, while reaffirming the Board’s commitment to supporting Zamfara students wherever they are studying.
Boosting Education and Human Capital Development
She emphasized that the Board’s interventions align with Governor Dauda Lawal’s six-point rescue agenda, with education identified as a top priority.
According to her, the Scholarship Board exists to support indigent students, ease the financial burden on parents amid economic challenges, and ensure access to quality education.
“Education is key to human capital development. By supporting our students today, we are preparing them to contribute meaningfully to the development of Zamfara State tomorrow,” she said.
She added that financial support remains critical to academic success, as it allows students to focus fully on their studies without the burden of tuition fees and learning materials.
“When students are not worried about how to pay school fees or buy textbooks and notebooks, they can concentrate on learning and perform better academically,” she explained.
Professor Liman further disclosed that in 2025, the Board sponsored eight Zamfara indigenes on full scholarship to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria—an unprecedented milestone for the state.
According to her, four of the beneficiaries are undergoing pilot training, while the remaining four are studying aircraft engineering.
“For the first time in the history of Zamfara State, we sponsored eight indigenes to an aviation college. This is a major achievement and a source of pride for the state,” she said.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, the Executive Secretary said the Board’s priority is to consolidate existing achievements while expanding support to areas yet to be fully covered.
She revealed plans to roll out bursaries for all Zamfara indigenes studying in tertiary institutions across the country, regardless of gender or political affiliation.
“The Scholarship Board is apolitical. As long as you are an indigene of Zamfara State, we are ready to support you,” she stressed.
She also announced plans to resume international scholarship programmes previously suspended due to inherited debts, confirming that all such liabilities—including those owed to Sharda University in India—have now been cleared.
“We have settled the debts, and by the end of this month, the affected students are expected to collect their certificates from India,” she said.
On digitalisation, Professor Liman disclosed that the Board operates an online platform to enhance transparency and accessibility, encouraging students to register on the Board’s website for information on scholarships and opportunities.
She added that the Board’s office along Sokoto Road in Gusau remains open to students and members of the public for inquiries and guidance.
Commenting on challenges, she commended Governor Dauda Lawal for his consistent support, describing it as instrumental to the Board’s achievements.
“His Excellency has given us full support. Of course, like Oliver Twist, it is never enough, but for now we do not have major challenges,” she said.
She appealed to parents and stakeholders to continue supporting the Board through prayers and cooperation to enable it to sustain and improve its activities in the coming year.
